Agenda and minutes

(a). To elect the Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2016-2017.

(b). The Mayor to make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The retiring Mayor, Councillor Mark Francis, welcomed all members and guests to the Annual Meeting of the Council. He thanked the officers of the

Council and in particular the Chief Executive, Roberto Tambini, the previous and current Mayor’s secretaries, Mrs Gillian Vince and Mrs Sheila Kimpton, for their hard work and support during his Mayoral year.

Councillor Mark Francis reported on his year as Mayor and the many enjoyable and humorous events he had attended. He wished the new Mayor and Mayoress happiness and success in the coming year. Finally, he presented bouquets of flowers to his secretary, Mrs Sheila Kimpton, and the new Mayoress, Mrs Kaye Friday, as a small token of appreciation.

It was moved by Councillor T.J. Evans and seconded by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and

Resolved that Councillor Alfred Edgar Friday be appointed Mayor for the Municipal Year 2016-2017.

A short adjournment took place to hand over the robes and badge of Office to

the new Mayor during which a performance of ‘My heart is like a singing bird’ was sung by Grace Burgoyne, a pupil at the Brigidine School in Windsor.

Councillor Alfred Edgar Friday made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Mayor of the Borough of Spelthorne and took the Chair. He thanked his proposer and seconder and the Council for supporting him in his election as

Mayor. He presented Councillor Mark Francis with the past Mayor’s badge and a scrapbook commemorating his time in office.

The outgoing Mayoress, Mrs Catherine Francis presented the Mayoress’ badge to the new Mayoress, Mrs Kaye Friday, and she in turn presented Mrs Catherine Francis with a past Mayoress badge.

The Mayor paid tribute to Councillor Mark Francis for his excellent service as Mayor.

The Mayor announced that he had appointed a Chaplain for his Mayoral Year, Father Andrew Downes, Vicar of St. Mary’s Church, Sunbury.

The Mayor’s Charity Fund will be supporting the Parkinson’s Society, One 2 One North West Surrey and Homestart Spelthorne.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Council meeting held on 28 April 2016.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 28 April 2016 were approved as a correct record.

(a). To elect the Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2016-17.

(b). The Deputy Mayor to make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

It was moved by Councillor R.W. Sider BEM and seconded by Councillor R.A. Smith-Ainsley and

Resolved that Councillor V.J. Leighton be appointed Deputy Mayor for the

Municipal Year 2016-2017.

Councillor Vivienne Leighton made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Spelthorne.

The Mayoress, Mrs Kaye Friday, presented the Deputy Mayor’s Consort Badge to the Deputy Mayor’s Consort, Mr Chris Leighton.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Vivienne Leighton, briefly addressed the Council, thanking her proposer and seconder for their support. She said it was a great honour and she and Chris looked forward to providing support to the Mayor in his Mayoral year.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor announced the following forthcoming events, to which all were invited:

·         The Armed Forces Flag Raising Day on Monday 20 June

·         The Civic Church Service on Sunday 3 July at St. Mary’s Church, Sunbury.

·         The Civic Day on Tuesday 6 September.

·         The Civic reception for the Business sector on Friday 11 November.

·         The Charity Ball at the Runnymede Hotel on Saturday 8 April 2017.

·         The Mayoress’ Ladies lunch at Ashford Manor Golf club on Wednesday 26 April 2017.

·         The Civic reception for Charity giving on Friday 12 May 2017.

To receive any announcements from the Leader.

The Leader, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey made the following announcements:

“Many things have happened since I took over as Leader in early February so please forgive me for taking a few minutes:

Firstly congratulations to new Mayor and Deputy. Our new Mayor is partly responsible for my position now as Leader, having set me on the political road about seven years ago.

Congratulations and welcome to our newest Councillor, John Boughtflower; also to Denise Turner Stewart for regaining her previous County seat in the recent by-elections.

On the property front we have now completed on Harpers Hotel, giving us complete control over a facility to provide up to 20 units of emergency accommodation as well as potentially save us £130,000 pa. I was interviewed on BBC Radio surrey on Monday morning to discuss this.

We are now progressing with plans to redevelop the Bugle pub, where architects have been instructed, and also Churchill Hall, to further address our housing deficit as well as boost our long term finances.

We are also looking at and progressing other residential and investment opportunities.

TaSF (Towards a Sustainable Future) staff restructure: We have implemented Stage one of the TaSF with new Group Heads appointments and are now on stage 2 - appointing Deputies.

All councillors should now have a copy of the new committee appointments, which I have spent some time formulating.

Our new Corporate Plan is almost completed and will shortly be presented. It highlights our FOUR core Priorities:

·         Housing

·         Economic Development

·         A Clean and Safe environment and

·         Economic Stability of the Council

We have recently applied to Surrey CC for a grant to help improve secondary shopping areas and have this week been awarded £175,000 towards this. We have to match fund on a 50:50 basis.

We are launching a new Economic Development Task Group to work with Businesses and other stakeholders to improve the economic profile of the Borough and this will commence meeting shortly.

I have made it a principle to seek to engage constructively with opposition councillors where appropriate on areas of cross-party agreement and I would like to thank Cllr Beardsmore and Cllr Doran for their positive responses. I hope this will continue, for the benefit of Spelthorne residents.

I wish to offer Condolences to the family of Clare Pizzingrilli, lately an Elections Officer, who died recently.

On a happier note it is the birthday of two officers today, Happy Birthday Michael Graham and Greg Halliwell.

Finally, I would like to thank all staff for their co-operation and hard work since the commencement of this administration.”

Committees’ membership 2016-2017

(1). Establishment of Committees

In accordance with Articles 6, 8 and 9 of the Council’s Constitution, and pursuant to Part 4 (a) – Standing Order 8.3, to appoint the following Committees of the size indicated below and with the Terms of Reference and functions set out in Part 3 (a) of the Council’s Constitution.

(2). Allocation of seats on Committees – Appendix A

Pursuant to Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, to agree the representation of the different political groups on Committees.

Note:

(a). *The political proportionality rules technically do not apply to the Members’ Code of Conduct Committee, but the Council has agreed that all political groups, including a member of the Cabinet, should be represented on that Committee.

(b). Two members of the Members’ Code of Conduct Committee are independent, non-councillors.

(3). Appointment of members to Committees (to follow)

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, to appoint the members to serve on the above-mentioned Committees, including Mr. Murray Litvak and Miss Sue Faulkner as the non-elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of the Members’ Code of Conduct Committee.

(The nominations to Committees - Appendix B – will be circulated at the meeting itself).

Details of the Committees and their size were circulated on the agenda for the meeting. The political allocation of seats was shown at agenda item 8 (Appendix A) and the members to serve on the various Committees was laid round at the meeting as Appendix B.

It was moved by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and seconded by Councillor A.C. Harman and

Resolved that:

a)    The appointment of the Committees shown at Agenda Item 8 of the size indicated and with the terms of reference and functions set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution.

b)    The allocation of seats as shown on Appendix A.

c)    The Councillors to serve on Committees as shown on Appendix B.

d)    That Mr. Murray Litvak and Miss Sue Faulkner be appointed as Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of the Members’ Code of Conduct Committee.

To appoint councillor representatives to serve on the following Outside

Bodies:

1. South West Middlesex Crematorium Board

(1 representative and 1 deputy)

2. Surrey Police and Crime Panel

(1 representative)

South West Middlesex Crematorium Board

It was moved by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and seconded by Councillor A.C. Harman and

Resolved that Councillor D. Patel be appointed as the Council’s representative on the South West Middlesex Crematorium Board.

It was moved by Councillor A.C. Harman and seconded by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and

Resolved that Councillor M.M. Attewell be appointed as the Council’s deputy representative on the South West Middlesex Crematorium Board.

Surrey Police and Crime Panel

It was moved by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and seconded by Councillor A.C. Harman and

Resolved that Councillor A.C. Mitchell be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Surrey Police and Crime Panel.